Behind the Red Door
by LemonSupreme
Summary: For the Orgy Armada's Second Coming. The prompt is "It's Gone Too Far". Both stories take place behind the red door. In part one, Charlie and Bass will begin a new phase of their relationship. In part two, we'll see Miles and Rachel as they deal with issues that threaten their future.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: For the Orgy Armada's Second Coming. The prompt is "It's Gone Too Far". Both stories take place behind the red door. In part one, Charlie and Bass will begin a new phase of their relationship (including smut fyi). In part two, we'll see Miles and Rachel as they deal with issues that threaten their future.**

 **You can read these two parts as one complete story, or read either as a standalone one-shot. They work either way.**

* * *

 **Part 1: A Beginning (Bass/Charlie)**

The sun is setting in ribbons of gold and pink. The air is crisp and Charlie's hair lifts on the cool September breeze. But Charlie doesn't even notice the beautiful sunset or the soft autumn air. She is totally and completely focused on one thing only.

The red door.

The blonde hooker's name is Ronna, and Charlie had watched her walk through that door twenty minutes ago. At first Charlie had only glanced at the door now and then. After five minutes had passed, she began to scowl. Ten minutes in, and she was biting a fingernail, her brow furrowed.

She began to pace at fifteen minutes, but she never took her eye off the door. Even as anger and disappointment began to swirl up from her gut, Charlie watched the door.

Monroe's door.

Bass Monroe has been living in the shitty little house with the red door ever since the Patriot bastards (or what had been left of them) had fled to Cuba months ago. This isn't the first night she's watched the red door, but it is the first time she's watched a woman disappear behind it.

Charlie pulls her Grandpa's old pocket watch from her pack and glares at it. Twenty-two minutes. "Fuck," she mutters, kicking a rock across the street. This is not how she thought it would go. "Fuck," she says again, looking down at the dirt.

Her head snaps up when she hears the red door open. She does not see Monroe, but the blonde emerges, frowning. The blonde pulls the door shut behind her and looks around. When she sees Charlie, she heads toward her. Charlie straightens her shoulders and readies herself for a confrontation.

The blonde is smoking a hand rolled cigarette. It's burnt almost down to her fingers by the time she stops in front of Charlie. She tosses the butt to the ground and smashes it with her high heeled boot. "So, you just stand out here and watch?"

Charlie rolls her eyes. "No. Just waiting. Wanted to know…"

The blonde nods. "Yeah, well you were right."

This catches Charlie off guard. "I was right? But you were in there for a while."

"You told me to give it my best shot, honey. That's what I did." Ronna shrugs. "Not my fault that he wasn't interested, right? I still want my money."

Charlie holds out a small pouch of stones but doesn't give it up just yet. "Yeah, you'll get your money. I just have a few questions first."

Ronna sighs, eyeing the pouch of diamonds. "What questions?"

Ten minutes later, Ronna walks away a little bit richer. Charlie watches the hooker retreat without really seeing her. Her mind is focused instead on what lies behind the red door.

The time has come to talk to Monroe.

* * *

Charlie stares at the door for a long time. In her mind she replays recent conversations and remembers heated gazes that had held far too long. She mentally indexes all she's learned lately, and she smiles. Charlie is not a gambler by nature, but she thinks the odds are in her favor here.

With purpose, she walks across the narrow street, steps up onto the creaking porch and pauses there, fist raised. A sliver of doubt rushes in, but in the end it is that Matheson stubbornness that beats out over the uncertainty.

She knocks hard, three times.

She doesn't have to wait long. The door opens and she hears his voice before she sees his face.

"I told you I don't…" He trails off when he sees Charlie on his stoop. He leans forward, poking his head out of the doorway to look up and down his quiet street. Seeing nothing, he turns his gaze back to her. "What do you want?"

She eyes him up and down. Damn. She hadn't even considered that he'd be half naked when he answered his door. She tries to focus on the task at hand but is distracted by the hard lines of his chest, the perfect abs, and the way his flat belly turns into a vee that points below the waistband of well worn flannel pajama pants. His feet are bare.

She does her best to ignore all that bare flesh and brushes past him. "I want to talk. Got a minute?"

He cocks an eyebrow as she waltzes in and surveys his small space. He shrugs. "Well, apparently I do now. What do you want?"

She straightens her shoulders and turns to face him. "Why are you here?"

Bass narrows his eyes, confused. "I live here. Why are YOU here?"

"No. I mean still here in this town. Why are you still in Willoughby? The war is over. Connor is long gone. What's keeping you HERE?"

"Jesus, Charlie. Why are you still here? You and your Mom don't even speak anymore. Miles is busy. Your Grandpa has gone senile and doesn't know who you are..."

She considers answering him, but decides there's no point. Time to get on with it. "Why wouldn't you fuck that whore?"

His mouth opens but no words come out. His eyes are wide. This is what shock looks like. Bass Monroe is speechless. He shakes his head. "Who says I didn't fuck her?"

"She did." Charlie tilts her chin defiantly, daring him to disagree.

"You hang out with whores now? Why were you talking to her?"

"I hired her."

"You WHAT?"

Charlie holds a hand out as if to tell him to settle down so she can explain. "I told her to come in here and do her best to get you in bed. Then she was supposed to report back to me. I was going to pay either way, so I believe her when she says nothing happened."

He leans forward, his hands grasped into tight fists on the table. His tone is casual but his eyes are fierce. "So, you bought me a hooker? Charlie, it's not even my birthday." Sarcasm drips from every word.

"It wasn't like that," she huffs. "She wasn't a gift."

"Please enlighten me, Charlie. If not a gift, what the fuck was she supposed to be?"

"An experiment, I guess. I was testing a theory."

"What kind of theory?"

"A theory about you. I know you aren't dating anyone. I know you haven't been paying for any of the local working girls. Why aren't you seeing anybody?"

He watches her for a while, silently. Finally he speaks. "No offence, Charlie, but what the fuck business is it of yours?"

She shrugs. "Maybe none at all. That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"What brought on this sudden interest in who I'm spending my time with?"

"Olivia Bishop."

He raises an eyebrow. "You know Olivia?"

"Not well. A few weeks ago, Miles and I were sitting at the bar and she was there and we started talking to her. She said she'd heard all about both of us, from you. Said you two used to be involved."

Bass nods. "Yeah, we were. She's a nice girl."

"So, why did you stop seeing her?"

"How do you know I'm not – Oh, wait. You asked her, didn't you?"

Charlie nods. "She said you broke things off because you told her you weren't interested in meaningless sex anymore."

Bass stiffens at this. "So?"

"So, Miles almost fell off his barstool because he was laughing so hard. Olivia wasn't amused. Asked him what was so funny? He said it would be a cold day in hell before you gave up meaningless sex."

"What's your point?"

"After a while, Miles stopped laughing. He started asking Olivia questions. Asked her how long ago you had ended things. She said almost a year. Miles asked if she ever heard you talk about any other women. She said only one."

Bass's lips tighten into a thin line. He says nothing.

She waits.

Their eyes hold for what feels like forever. Finally, Charlie breaks the silence. "She said you talked about me. A lot. She thought maybe you liked me. Wanted me."

Bass closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "So?" By the time he opens them, Charlie's gaze is trained on him.

"So was Olivia right? Do you like me?"

He ignores her question to ask his own. "You get how fucked up this is, right? What you're doing?"

She shakes her head. "No. It's not fucked up. I just want some damn answers." She walks toward him, her eyes blazing.

"What answers are you looking for, Charlotte?" He sidesteps her and walks around the other side of the table. "What was your goal here? You thought you'd catch me enjoying meaningless sex with a hooker YOU bought for me? Testing me like some fucking lab rat? What the hell?" Bass begins to pace.

"Okay, so maybe hiring a hooker was a bad idea." She admits with a frown.

"You think?"

"Hey, I just wanted to see if –"

"You wanted to see what? If I like you? Are we in seventh grade, here?" Bass shakes his head. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

"Fine." She says through gritted teeth. "Do you like me?"

He ignores her question. "Besides, you are wrong about Miles. No way does he think I'm into you, Charlie."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because if he did, he'd be here himself and he'd be slashing my throat with his big knife."

"You're wrong. I'm not saying he's super excited about the idea, but he told me to come over here and talk to you."

"Whatever. If you are trying to seduce me, you seriously need to work on your technique."

Charlie firmly presses her fists into the table top. "Don't you get it, Monroe? I have no technique. I probably AM doing this wrong because I have no idea what I'm doing!"

Bass narrows his eyes. "I seem to remember you and my kid, naked in a field..."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I didn't say I'm a virgin."

Bass rubs his temples. "Okay. What are you saying?"

"I've had sex, but -"

He takes a step closer. "But what?"

"It was always easy. I never had to wonder if the guy wanted me. I could just tell. But you? I don't know how to read you. Sometimes I think you want me, but then other times, I just don't know. What I do know is that you drive me crazy."

"You should leave." Bass sounds tired.

"Is this your way of saying I was wrong? Miles is wrong? You aren't interested?"

"This is my way of saying it doesn't fucking matter. Even if I did like you, nothing could ever come of it. I would just destroy you the way I destroy everyone who matters to me."

Charlie reacts as if he's smacked her. "What?" She stares at him, watching the emotions that play across his face. "That would never happen. I would never let you destroy me." She shakes her head stubbornly.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Charlie. I ruin people who matter to me. It's a fucking curse."

She slowly walks toward him. "So I do matter to you?"

"Not the point."

"Oh, but it is." She's in his space now, reaching up to stroke a finger along his bare collar bone. "It's the whole fucking point." She leans in then to brush her lips against his throat.

"Charlie," he groans. "Stop." But his voice holds no conviction at all.

"But Bass, I don't want to stop. I didn't come here to stop. I came here to start."

He tries to push her away. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't." She leans up on her tip toes and presses her lips to his.

"God damnit, Charlie." He pulls her close, kissing her hard. Unable to deny themselves any longer, the kiss is needy and searching.

She's thought about what it would be like to kiss Monroe. She's dreamed about it. Fantasized about it as she stroked herself under cover of darkness.

Reality is so much better. His lips are soft but firm. He is insistent and in control, deepening the kiss with a probing tongue and clashing teeth. Based on the way his hands roam urgently; he's been thinking about this for a long time too.

After a few moments, he breaks away. "Olivia was right. I've been done with meaningless sex for a long time." He nestles into the cascade of her hair. "That's because I've wanted you for a long time. I'm just not sure that wanting each other is enough."

"What if I think it is enough? Does that count for anything?"

He closes his eyes, sighing. "I don't know. Maybe. "

"I can work with maybe, but I'm not leaving. I figured out I wanted you after I slept with Tony from the livery last year. I'm tired of waiting. I like you. You like me. This waiting…all these delays…it's gone too far. I've had enough."

Bass's eyes blaze with a sudden rush of jealousy. "Tony? Tony Miller? That skinny red-headed guy?"

Charlie looks sheepish. "Yeah. It was after you and I had gotten back from that assignment of Blanchard's. All that time together on the road had confused me. I was trying to figure out if my new interest in you was really about you or if it was just that I hadn't gotten laid in a long time."

"And?" He moves his hands slowly down her back, pulling her closer.

"I just couldn't stop thinking about you, even when –"

"Even when what?"

"Even when another man was inside me." She allows herself to press her palms against his bare chest and she feels a bolt of heat surge through her body.

"Maybe he was just a really bad lay?" Bass kisses her temple.

"That's true. He was….awful." She smiles at Bass's chuckle. "But it was more than that. My mind wasn't in it. All I felt was regret. Regret that he wasn't you."

Bass brushes his lips against her cheek, trailing toward her mouth. "That won't ever happen again. From now on, I'll be the only man inside you. Do you understand?"

"Possessive, much?" She smirks, but the smirk fades when she sees how serious he is.

"Yeah. I am. That's one reason I stayed away. I don't want to hurt you. I also don't share, Charlotte. Not ever. If you want me, you have to know there won't be any other Tony Millers. No Connors. Only me."

"Only you."

"Yeah, and only you for me." His mouth crashes down on hers then and she pulls him closer.

"Still want me to leave?" Charlie asks, breaking the kiss breathlessly.

"Hell, no." Bass picks her up and carries her to his bed. He tosses her down on its surface and wastes no time covering her body with his. Monroe is all hard lines and sharp angles. He's kissing her again, now with one muscled thigh wedged between hers, rubbing rhythmically against her crotch.

His mouth ravages hers with burning intent, igniting a trail of fire from her lips to her core. She circles his neck with her hands, tangling her fingers in his curls before trailing them down his back, scratching lightly.

Bass moves, pressing his hard cock into the crux of her thighs. Even with the fabric that separates them, Charlie can feel that he is very big and very ready for her. She moans as he leaves her lips to work his way down her throat. Nipping and biting at her flesh, he follows the line of her collarbone, stopping only when he reaches her shirt.

"Need to see all of you." He says against the curve of her breast. His breath passes, hot and damp, through the thin cotton.

Bass stands and holds out a hand to help her do the same. Charlie's knees feel shaky as she stands. He moves in, pulling her shirt off and then reaching around to effortlessly unhook her bra. As it falls to the floor, he sucks a quick breath through gritted teeth. His eyes are hot as they take in the perky breasts with their proud little nipples.

She reaches for the chain belt, unhooking it and letting it fall. He can't keep his hands to himself and helps her work the snug jeans and tiny panties down her hips. She toes off her boots and steps out of them and the pooled fabric of her jeans.

Bass doesn't say anything. Instead, he worships her body with his heated gaze as he slides his fingers under the waistband of his pajama pants and slides them down.

Charlie gasps as the faded plaid fabric is eased over his throbbing dick. She takes a step forward, reaching for him with a shaky hand. "So big."

He closes his eyes as she wraps a small hand around his cock, stroking tentatively. He thrusts into her fist twice before carefully removing her fingers and pushing her back on the bed. Now totally naked, she spreads for him. Her pussy is swollen and glistening.

He falls to his knees, and pulls Charlie close to the edge before burying his face between her legs. He uses his fingers to spread her velvety folds, snaking out his tongue to lick at the sweetness that seeps from within. Bass licks slowly, teasing her clit with the rough of his tongue before pushing it into her slippery pussy.

Charlie moans as he fucks her with his tongue. After a while, he focuses on her clit once more, taking it between his lips and sucking gently. He presses two fingers into her, stroking the drenched channel of her core. He pumps his digits in and out as he sucks her clit. She arches into his touch as she feels her climax approach.

Bass removes his fingers, now covered in her juices. His tongue is back in her pussy and she is almost lost in the sensation when she feels a new one. "Oh God." She cries out as one of his dripping fingers presses against her puckered hole. "Oh God." She says again as he presses it in. The sensation is new and different but is quickly driving her over the edge. Her hips jerk up against his mouth as she comes.

Shuddering, she feels boneless as Bass makes his way back up her body. "Did you like?" he asks quietly against her ear.

Charlie nods, numbly. "So good. And that thing at the end? That was –"

"Yeah?"

"Unexpected, but…I liked it."

Bass smiles. "Well, we've only just begun. So much more I want to do to you. With you." He shifts his weight, reminding her that only one of them has found their release tonight.

Charlie reaches down, stroking his cock. "First, let's take care of this," she suggests.

He nods and then pivots, settling between her legs once more. He lines up and pushes his way inside her pussy. Even with all the foreplay and Charlie's first orgasm, she's still tight and he groans. "Fuck, Charlie. You feel so good."

He leans back, supporting his weight with his arms as he watches his cock sinking into her pussy and then pulling out, soaked by her juices. He watches the space where they are joined, moaning as he speeds up.

Charlie feels a second orgasm cresting and she looks up at him. "Come down here."

He does as she asks, covering her mouth with his once more. This kiss is slow and sensual, even as his hips begin to pick up the pace. He grasps one of her legs, pulling it high. His huge dick is buried balls deep in her tight pussy as she begins to quake.

"Bass!" She yells as he pushes in as hard as he can. He doesn't even try to pull out. She should care, and maybe she will later. For now, she simply moans as her pussy clamps down on his dick, milking him of his seed.

He collapses on top of her body. Slowly, he extricates from her body and falls into a sweaty heap at her side. They are both breathing heavily as they turn to face one another. Bass smiles slowly and Charlie can't help but return it. "Next time, you don't need to waste your money on a hooker. I'm yours, Charlie."

"And I'm yours, Bass."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: For the Orgy Armada's Second Coming. The prompt is "It's Gone Too Far". Both stories take place behind the red door. In part one, Charlie and Bass will begin a new phase of their relationship. In part two, we'll see Miles and Rachel as they deal with issues that threaten their future (mention of MCD).**

 **You can read these two parts as one complete story, or read either as a standalone one-shot. They work either way.**

* * *

 **Part 2: An Ending (Miles/Rachel)**

Miles is sitting at Bass's kitchen table eating a bowl of oatmeal when the cabin door opens. He looks up, mouth full, nodding as Rachel walks in. He's been living here with Bass for the past month, ever since his break up with Rachel. It hasn't been perfect, but it has been better than the last couple of weeks they'd spent together under her roof. The end of their relationship had been ugly. This is the first time he's seen her since.

He swallows and takes a sip of coffee. "Rachel."

She looks around distastefully at the shabby interior of Bass's cabin and sighs. "So, this is home now?"

Miles shrugs. "For now. Gonna find my own place soon."

She brushes the dust off the chair facing his and sits down. "I know about them." When he says nothing, she presses on. "Charlie and Monroe. I know about them."

He sighs. "Don't start anything, Rach. They're really happy."

She purses her lips and nods once, curtly. "So, I've heard."

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to tell you that I'm leaving."

"Leaving for how long?" He takes another bite of his oatmeal.

"Well, forever. Not coming back."

"Seriously? This again? Charlie needs you. Your Dad needs –"

"My Dad needs a nurse, and he has one. When I visited yesterday, he thought I was a waitress. Kept asking me for more garlic bread." She smiles sadly. "He doesn't need me. Doesn't even know me anymore."

"And Charlie? She doesn't have dementia. She definitely knows who you are." The thought of how another Rachel vanishing act might impact Charlie makes Miles's heart ache.

"I tried to talk to her and she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"Maybe you guys can work it out?" he pleads. "For her sake?"

"Not while he's in her life. When I see him I want to kill him. When I see him with her, well… this thing between them has gone too far. I can't accept it, Miles. I just can't." Rachel takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "You remember when I had that episode after the Tower?"

Miles snorts. "Episode? Yeah, kind of hard to forget."

"Exactly. Well, when I see them together, I start to feel like I'm losing it, like everything is falling apart again."

"But in time, maybe you can learn to accept it?"

She shakes her head. "Last night I had a dream that I came here to kill Bass and you were here and you killed me to protect him – to protect them. I watched as you wrapped my body in a tarp and asked Bass to dig a grave. It was surreal, but felt…prophetic."

"Sounds like you maybe ate something spicy before you went to bed."

"No. This isn't the first time. Some variation of that dream has haunted me ever since the first day I found out they were together. I can't stay here. Knowing they are in this town – together – it's ripping me up."

"But she's happy, Rach. Really, truly happy. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"It should." She shrugs. "It doesn't."

"Have you told Charlie your plans to go?"

"No. I'm not going to. I'm leaving this with you. You'll give it to her?"

He takes the offered envelope from her hand. "You need to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk. Not to me."

"Maybe if you said something other than how much you hate all of her life choices, she'd be a little more talkative?"

She ignores him, standing. "I'm leaving. Take care of our girl."

Miles stands too – so quickly that his chair falls with a bang. "What do you mean, our girl?"

"Oh, you know what I mean." Rachel sounds tired suddenly. "It's hard to miss. She's so much like you sometimes, it's scary."

"I asked you once. You told me she was Ben's. Why didn't you ever tell me the truth?"

"It never felt like the right time, but time is running out now."

"Does she know? Did you ever tell her?"

"Never told anyone." She points to the letter. "Till now. It's all in there. I think it will help her deal with me being gone, assuming she even notices."

"Jesus, Rach. She's going to notice. You are her mother! Where are you going, anyway?"

"I'm thinking California, but I'm not sure yet." She stares off, lost in thought. "Somewhere far away."

"Look, even though things didn't work out between you and me, I do wish you'd stay."

"And I wish you and Charlie wouldn't have chosen Bass over me. We all wish for things we won't ever get." She grasps the knob on the door and turns it. "Goodbye Miles."

"You're sure?"

She pauses there on the threshold and looks back. The morning sunlight shines through her hair and Miles feels a tug at his heart. She never answers but he knows in his gut that this is it.

The door closes softly behind her and Miles stares at the faded red paint of the door, deep in thought.

* * *

Miles gives Charlie her mother's letter the day after Rachel leaves Willoughby. He watches with a heavy heart as her face falls. She understands just as Miles had, that this is her mother's last goodbye.

Miles holds Charlie as she cries into his shoulder. Bass watches silently from nearby, his eyes brimming with tears. Neither of these men can stand seeing Charlie in pain. They stay like that until Charlie gets hold of her emotions.

Finally Charlie looks up at him. "So, you're my Dad, huh? I guess that's why I suck at math?" Even though her eyes are red, her smirk tells Miles she's going to be okay.

He sighs, relieved. "I guess so. That okay?"

"Yeah. That's okay. You never leave me. So it's more than okay."

"I'm not going anywhere either." Bass says with a chuckle.

Slowly Charlie returns his smile. "Good to know. I've gotten kind of attached."

Bass wiggles his eyebrows at her. "Want to go get attached again? I have some time."

Miles groans, then stands and heads for the door. "I'll be at the bar. You two can stop by and join me when you're done with all the things I don't ever need to know about."

* * *

Life goes on, as it tends to do. Charlie and Bass move into the old Porter house and Charlie helps take care of her Grandfather. Miles decides to stay permanently in the cabin with the red door.

* * *

Rachel has been gone for a year when the battered letter is delivered to Miles by courier. He opens it carefully, and reads.

 _Dear Mr. Matheson,_

 _My name is Stella and I live south of old Oklahoma City in a little village called Salt. I first met your lady friend six months ago. She wasn't doing well. She was malnourished and weak. Seemed to have been traveling for a long time. She was sick. Real sick. I think she had been for a while. It was probably cancer, but I don't know for sure. We haven't had a good doctor around here in years._

 _Whatever it was, it hit her hard. We let her stay in our back room and we did our best to make her comfortable. She spoke of you often. You, and a girl named Charlotte and a boy named Danny. She said you three were the lights of her life. She missed you every day._

 _She died in her sleep last night. She went real peaceful. I don't think she was in pain at the end, or at least not much. She told me once in the beginning that I should tell you when she went. She knew she was sick before she left you, I think. Didn't want you to see her fade away._

 _She wanted you to know she was sorry for the way things turned out, but that it was the right thing for her to leave. She said to tell you she loved you still and to give her best to Charlie and Trout. Is that right? I didn't write it down. It was a fish name. Anyway, she got confused sometimes. Seemed to think the blackout was all her fault. The one thing she was never confused about was loving you._

 _I don't know what happened between you two and why things didn't work out, but she made it sound like you were a right nice fella. I hope you can find some happiness. It's hard to come by these days, but good luck._

 _My deepest sympathy,  
Stella Pickering_

Miles reads the letter three times through before he realizes that tears are falling. He brushes them away and straightens his shoulders. This is not a day for mourning. This is a day for joy. Miles walks to the old cracked mirror that hangs behind the door and straightens his collar.

"I look like an idiot," he mutters, pulling at the coat jacket with the too-short sleeves. In spite of the fact that he hates having to dress up, and in spite of the sobering news from out West, Miles smiles slowly into his reflection.

Today he is giving his only daughter away in marriage to his oldest friend in the world. Stella had been right. Happiness is hard to come by, and Miles counts himself very lucky to have found more than his fair share.

**END**


End file.
